Haj applications to open in March

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, Friday said that Haj applications would be received from first week of March on first come first serve basis, adding that Haj categories have been exterminated this year.Sardar Yousuf told the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony that a total of 2033 HGOs have been enrolled in the ministry. Haj quota has been allotted to various companies through a transparent system.Giving details of Haj policy 2014, Joint Secretary Haj Shahzad Ahmed said the 20 per cent quota cut imposed last year would continue this year also. A total of 143,368 Pakistanis would perform Haj this year.HGOs would be allotted additional quota of 15,000 persons, as per agreement inked with them last year. Consequently 86,684 will perform Haj under private scheme and 56,684 under government scheme.Haj applications would be received from the first week of March on first come first serve basis. Haj categories have been exterminated this year.The government Haj package from Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar would be Rs 302,381 and Rs 287,381 for the Hujjaj of Karachi, Sukkur and Quetta.The Senate standing committee on religious affairs and interfaith harmony Friday directed the religious ministry to submit province-wise details of Haj quota allotted to 19 Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) within next four days.Senator Hafiz Hamdullah chaired the meeting of the committee. The committee directed the ministry to submit under which criteria the quota has been allotted to the HGOs. The ministry may also submit the details on what grounds the Hajj quota has been denied to 2000 HGOs.Senator Zahid Khan observed that Hajj quota had been allotted to one choicest HGO in Khyber Pakhtunkhaw. Hafiz Hamdullah said the quota has been allotted to only one HGO in Balochistan.Senator Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Zahid Khan, Zahida Khan, Muhammad Ali Rind and Surriya Amiruddin and officials of religious ministry attended the meeting.